


Looking for a friend

by LoudandDangerous



Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Best Friends, Break Up, Christmas Fluff, Dorks in Love, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Fluff with a capital F, Late Night Conversations, Late night shenanigans, Lonely Steve, M/M, Mentions of Twenty One Pilots, Nerds in Love, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Teenagers, boys being stupid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-24
Updated: 2015-08-30
Packaged: 2018-04-16 23:28:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4644096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoudandDangerous/pseuds/LoudandDangerous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"To whom it may concern"</p><p>My name is Steven Rogers and I am looking for a friend. A best friend, actually.</p><p>You must be up for anything whenever, you must know that I have many health problems and you must not judge me if I constantly talk to you.</p><p>I'm not trying to be annoying, I just don't have too many friends and well, you're my outlet."</p><p>Steve wanted a friend. He found the next best thing.</p><p>He found James Buchanan Barnes</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_"To whom it may concern,_

 

_My name is Steven Rogers. I am looking for a friend, not sexually; platonically. You must understand that if I talk to constantly, it's not because I'm trying to annoy you.  It's because I don't have any friends, you must be up for anything ,you must enjoy singing at 3 AM, you have to respect my health problems, you need to understand that I have boundaries and most importantly, you have to know how to have a good time._

 

_I am looking for a friend._

_I do not believe that it will solve all my problems, but I do find that I’m jealous of certain people. Not because some are famous, but because they have friends and I don’t. If I have a million dollars, I’d give it all away just to find a true, unadulterated friendship. I think I have one, but again, it is a sharp think. Not confirmation._

_I want someone like that._

_You can’t have everything you want, I’ve been told that from such a young age but you can’t deny someone the ability to find a friend, can you?_

_I don't think so._

 

_I want someone who’ll burst into song with me and I can’t find that. Someone who I can talk to about what I want in life and they’ll just jump right on it, offering helpful tips and ideas._

_I 've stayed up for 12 hours straight in the middle of the night and watched the sunrise. I want someone to text and talk to while I do stupid crap like this because if I have a random thought that I wanna blurt out, I wanna be heard. I want someone to listen, I want to listen. Someone who knows me better than I know myself. I want to be in a friendship, where we’re both the heroes. No sidekicks._

_  
They’ll have to understand that I have no other friends, so if I constantly talk to them, I’m not trying to be annoying; I want someone to talk to. I need constant reminders that I’m not lonely and I don’t have anyone to remind me. _

 

_I'm not looking for a babysitter, I'm looking for someone to talk to and I'm looking for someone who can fulfill these requirements.  Yes, I know it seems like a lot to ask, but if you feel that you can fulfill this position._

 

_Call me"_

 

He stapled the paper to the cork board in the coffee shop and waited for the bullies to ambush him with prank voice mails and calls. They called while he was in class, in the locker room, on his way home and even while he was eating dinner.

 

_Rogers is lonely. Rogers can't get laid. Rogers is a geek._

 

He sighed and sat in his bed that night, checking off the boxes of the voicemails. When he clicked the trash can, all of the voicemails were gone, but the humiliation stayed. He crawled around the house, slipping past his mother and off to the coffee shop to tear up the letter.

 

The cold winter air nipped at his nose as he made the long journey to the school's coffee shop.

* * *

 

''Hey, James. I just don't think it's working.'' He simply said.

 

James' face with up with shock. ''What do you mean?" His voice was breaking. 

 

''I think we should break up, but we can still be friends?" 

 

James stood with his gut wrenching with hurt. He hung his head low and nodded. He shuffled past his now ex and stared at the ground. He wished that a hand would place on his shoulder. His ex would simply say 'I'm sorry. I fucked up.'', but nothing happened. He was allowed to just walk away.

 

He wrote in his journal that night.

 

''Jackson broke up with me today. I don't know if I wanna punch him, or just cry. I already broke three vases, so I think I'll be grounded if I break a fourth. Maybe I'll go get coffee to unwind at try to get my mind off of things. Midterms are coming up, the band is going  _okay_ and I feel like I should just calm down.''

 

He stared at the snow falling around him as he headed to the coffee shop. He wiped his tears with the sleeve of his sweater and heard the snow crunching together under his shoes. 

 

''Maybe the cold will freeze my tears." He sulked.

 

Upon reaching the coffee shop, he ordered Pumpkin Spice and read the cork board. 

 

Babysitting service, Lawn mowing, Yard sale, and something new.

 

_A request._

 

He clutched his coffee cup, snatched it and read.

* * *

 

He could see the light shining from the coffee shop a mile ahead. 

 

''Good. They're still open." He ran towards the shop, but stopped and ducked behind a bush when he realized someone was reading his letter.

 

His phone lit up and began ringing loudly, he panicked and chucked it across the grass in fear, instantly regretting it. The brunet sauntered towards the ringing, now cracked phone, and picked it up. He looked around suspiciously before walking towards the bush. 

 

''You're not that discreet." He simply told the panicked blond.

 

Steve sighed and stood up. ''Just say it. It'll save space on my phone and prevent my mom from believing I have friends.'' He blew a few stray hairs out of his face and raised an eyebrow.

 

The brunet held up the note and smiled. ''Actually, I was calling about this" He handed Steve his phone. ''I think this belongs to you." Steve hesitated before taking his phone and shoving it in his pocket.

 

''Are you serious about the whole 'Best Friend' thing?"

 

The brunet nodded his head. ''No one deserves to be lonely." His mind flashed to his ex. "We can get kicked out of stores and race each other in shopping carts."  

 

They both laughed a bit before heading inside the coffee shop and conversing.

 

''So, about your health problems?'' 

 

''Just asthma and my fucked up body." Steve shrugged, drinking the last of his hot chocolate. 

 

"Okay. I prefer to be called Bucky, I play in a band called 'Renegade Fireworks', we play jazz --''

 

Steve burst out laughing, trying to pace himself to not cause an asthma attack. ''ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" 

 

''No." Bucky was laughing just as hard as Steve.''It's like indie rock, but more 'rock' than 'indie'. My bandmates are shit, but they kill it on drums and guitar."

 

"About that shopping cart thing…" Steve began.

 

''You wanna go do it now?"

 

Steve didn't hesitate before nodding. Bucky grinned as they tossed their empty cups and headed to the 24 hour supermarket across town.

 

* * *

 

The wind in his hair, the feeling of satisfaction, his heart racing as Bucky whizzed past the wine and spirits. Sharp turn after sharp turn.

 

The night shift manager didn't even try to stop them when they knocked over everything in the candy aisle.

 

''Just don't break anything." She lazily instructed them.

 

Bucky had a maniacal grin while he pushed Steve faster through the frozen foods .

 

''Do you think we should slow down?" Steve questioned.

 

Bucky stopped the cart and thought for a good 4 seconds before beginning again.

 

''Fuck no."

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

They sat outside in the snow, eating Oreos since the night manager had given them an ultimatum; buy something or leave.

 

''…and I feel like I should warn her if she really thinks he invited her for actual Netflix and chill.'' Steve finished his sentence.

 

''I was invited for Netflix and chill once and when I told him I wanted to finish watching Toy Story 3, he just spoiled the entire thing right there and tried getting in my pants." Bucky added.

 

''He sounds like a jackass."

 

Bucky felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He could tell Steve anything and he wouldn't be judged.

 

''He really was." 

 

Steve's cracked phone rang and he fumbled to get the phone out his pocket. 

 

''Hello?"

 

All Bucky could hear was loud shouting from the phone. 

 

''Mom…calm down." Steve tried reassuring.

 

''DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" Blared through the phone. Steve pursed his lips and got up. 

 

''She's pissed. I gotta go."

 

''You need a ride home?!" Bucky called out the Steve, who was racing across the field.

 

''NOPE, I'm good!" Steve shouted in response. 

 

Bucky sat alone at the table, grinning to himself. 

* * *

He laid in his bed, reading the news on his laptop and going borderline crazy waiting for Bucky to call or text. Finally, he sucked it up and texted the brunet.

 

_Are you awake?_

 

The brunet sat up on the bed and squinted at the bright light. We smiled and texted back.

 

_Yep!_

 

_Good. I'm bored._

 

Bucky couldn't help but hold in his laughter when he read it. Steve was far too straight foreword for his own good.

 

 _What are you d_ o _ing?_

 

Steve made sure not to make any noise to wake up his mother and get in even more trouble.

 

 _I'm grounded for sneaking out. She thinks I was partying. She doesn't realize that I have to have a life to do stuff like that_ :)

 

 _You wanna come meet my band tomorrow? We can finish the pack of Oreos_ ;)

 

_Yes._

 

Steve turned off his phone and laid in bed that night, wondering what Bucky's band was like.

* * *

 

Bucky showed up at the coffee shop to pick up Steve the next day. Steve sat in the passenger seat with a grin from ear to ear as he finished an Oreo.

 

''It seems like only yesterday we became best friends." Bucky said as he pulled into the driveway.

 

''It  _was_ yesterday." Steve smirked as he shoved another Oreo in his mouth.

 

He parked the car and opened the garage. A drum set, piano, electric guitar were inside with a few guys hanging around. 

 

''Hey guys," Bucky tossed his keys in a bowl. ''This is Steve. The one I told you about last night." 

 

_He's mentioned me to his friends?! Jesus Christ, what has he told them? Did he tell them about getting kicked out of Walmart, or about my asthma? They already see me as a geek._

 

The guys nodded, Steve took it as some type of acceptance. If he was a friend of Bucky's, he was a friend of theirs.

 

''This is Sam, he's the guitarist," Bucky pointed a guy in the back, who turned his head and waved at Steve. ''That's Clint, drums'' He showed Steve a blond in the corner. ''That's Tony, he does songwriting and some theatrics." Bucky shot his hand out to a brunet in the back, who was holding two wires. He plugged them into each other and watched the electricity crackled around the garage and light up in a florescent sign reading 'Renegade Fireworks'. The power cut out of the garage and, presumably from the crash heard soon after, the rest of the house as well. 

 

''Good news and bad news, everybody." Tony turned around and propped up his goggles, "Good news: I fixed the sign. Bad news: I'm not sure if I can fix the power in the house.'' Clint, Sam and Bucky scowled at him, causing him to drop the wires. "You either want the sign to work, or you want the power in the house. You can't have both." 

 

Steve awkwardly shuffled around before starting a conversation with Clint. Sam made his way over to Bucky and smirked.

 

''You found a rebound _already?_ _Tsk, tsk._ When will you learn?" Bucky punched him in the arm.

 

''He's my friend…..we got kicked out of Walmart yesterday." Bucky crossed his arms and watch Steve and Clint.

 

''So you two aren't fucking?" 

 

Bucky punched Sam's arms again, this time with more force. ''No, I'm not even sure I'm over Jack yet." Bucky went quiet and then joined Clint and Steve. Sam stayed where he was and watched the three.

 

''They are _so_ low-key fucking." Sam joked to himself. 

 

''…You want a beer?" Clint asked, reaching into the cooler. Steve politely shook his head.

 

''Jeez Barton, you've gotta at least ask if he's old enough. I suppose next you're gonna ask him if he wants to roll a blunt."

 

''Actually…" Tony began.

 

''NO." Bucky's voice was firm but it didn't stay that way for long. He opened a mini-fridge and looked inside. ''Sprite or Junior Juice?" He called out to Steve. 

 

''You mean Juicy Juice?" Steve walked over to the fridge. 

 

''Off brand stuff is easier for the band to buy. That's why punching a hole in the drum is so easy…'' Bucky took out a Sprite can and handed it to Steve. ''You can't expect too much from a 34 dollar drum set.'' He smirked. Steve laughed quietly as he popped open the can with a hiss and began drinking. ''Sprite is easy to come by because Clint's dad works for them.'' 

 

Bucky checked his watch. ''Tony, you can unplug the sign. We know it works and we kinda need the electricity for Clint's guitar." Tony nodded in confirmation and yanked the wires apart.

 

"Hey Stevie," Steve looked up from his Sprite. ''Wanna watch us practice?"

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Practice was loud, ear-splitting, thunderous. It came to the point that Steve wasn't sure Bucky could sing for any longer without losing his voice. He closed his eyes and tried to keep a smile upon his face; he didn't want Bucky to think the music was terrible. It wasn't terrible or horrendous; just loud and terrifying.

Practice was loud, ear-splitting, thunderous. It came to the point that Steve wasn't sure Bucky could sing for any longer without losing his voice. He closed his eyes and tried to keep a smile upon his face; he didn't want Bucky to think the music was terrible. It wasn't terrible or horrendous; just loud and terrifying. Bucky clutched the microphone and vociferated lyrics; resounding and bouncing around the garage with no where else to travel. Steve liked alternative music, just not the 'alternative' Bucky was slowly making him go deaf with. Somehow, it had ended. The drumming stopped, the guitar blared it's last chord, Bucky dropped the mic and Steve regained his hearing.

 

''So…?" Bucky eased to Steve with a hopeful grin on his face. ''Did you like it?"

 

''YEP." _Correction: Steve had not regained his hearing and could currently not hear his own voice._ "REALLY GOOD!" 

 

''Great!" Bucky turned around to Sam and Clint, who were cleaning their instruments, and gave them a thumbs up. "I was a bit nervous since we haven't performed in from of anyone since….'' He swallowed hard and went silent. Sam and Clint glared at each other before clearing their throats and steering the conversation elsewhere to prevent Bucky from breaking down and crying.

 

''Hey, you wanna know a secret?" Sam perked up. Steve's attention had shifted from Bucky's mini mental breakdown and to Sam. ''We don't use our real names.''

 

''We use stage names." Clint added. Steve became intrigued, Clint sighing in relief before continuing. "Sam is actually 'Falcon', because his drumming is swift like a gliding bird." Sam nodded in approval. ''Tony, respectively is Iron Man, because of his tech smarts."

 

''It's a lot more complex than that. You see, Iron Man is because I've built these iron suits that can --" Tony interjected.

 

''Nobody cares, Stark." Sam interrupted.

 

''Bucky is Winter Soldier, because he…well…?" A quizzical look grew upon Clint face as he tapped his finger along his cheek and began contemplating vigorously. ''Actually, I'm not sure why he calls himself that." They turned to look at Bucky, who was catatonically staring at the wall where Steve once stood. ''But anyway, _I_ am Hawkeye, and I don't have a reason because I don't really need one." 

 

''No." Tony barged in with the wires replaced in his hands. "It's because you're a goddamn birdbrain." He snickered before plugging the wires back in and getting the same reaction from before. The sign stood as the only source of light in the garage. Bucky came back to reality from his mini mental breakdown, but only to scold Tony on using less power in the sign.

 

The sun had disappeared, snow fell profusely in the sky, refreezing the sky. Bucky peered out the window, scowling at the fact that he'd have to take Steve home in the snow. The rapid buzzing rang throughout their phones. All together, the notifications sounded like a fire alarm blaring in harmony. 

 

_"State of Emergency:_

 

_Snowstorm to arrive at 7:00 pm EST. 19:00 pm. 38 to 48 inches expected, State of Emergency goes into effect at 6:00 pm EST. 18:00 pm. No cars on the road, not parked on the roadway. Failure to comply will result in a $330 fine."_

 

"Fuck." Steve growled to himself. "I'm gonna go call my mom.''

 

"Hey, if the weather gets worse," Bucky began, resting his hand on Steve's shoulder. ''You can always stay with me." 

 

''Um, thanks." He smiled in response, mentally prepared for the hell that his mother would give him. The phone dialed, Steve stood in the corner on the phone while a knot tied in Bucky's gut. He hung up the phone, simply turned around and gave Bucky a thumbs up.

 

''I guess we'll be snowed in together."


	4. Chapter 4

Bucky didn't live too far from Clint's house. He lived right down the block and Steve assumed that's why the band was formed. Close proximity simply made sense.

 

The radio was blurred, the satellite covered in too much snow. Snow sheltered the car with the exception of the windshield. The sky was dark as is, allowing the pair to be covered in complete darkness. Bucky pulled into the driveway, motioning Steve to the front door. He shoved his key into the lock and opened the door, a blast of welcoming heat blasting from inside the house.

 

''You can leave your shoes at the door." Steve stared down at his snowy Converse on the tile. 

 

''Are your parents okay with me staying over?" Steve perked up as he slipped out of his shoes.

 

''They don't exactly know, they're on a business trip for some marketing thing up in San Fran. But don't worry, it's not going to be 'Netflix and Chill'" He giggled quietly to himself as he tried to finish the sentence without bursting into laughter. Steve followed him into the kitchen. ''We can make s'mores and dance in the living room." 

 

Bucky opened the cabinet and held the pasta box with a quizzical look on his face. ''Pasta?" He questioned and poked to Steve for approval. Steve nodded and sat down at the counter.

 

''You can borrow one of my shirts tonight. Not sure how long this snow storm is gonna last." Bucky opened the curtain and watched the snow gather on the window pane. "While we're here….let's get to know each other. Shall we? Especially since we're going to be best friends." Bucky turned to Steve and nodded.

* * *

Bucky finished washing the plates and lead Steve down the hall and up the stairs to his bedroom. He opened a drawer and tossed Steve a shirt. ''You can get dressed in the bathroom or in here.'' Steve blushed at that comment. ''Come on, I won't look." Bucky laughed before turning around.

 

Steve decides that everything is not real in this moment. 

 

He decides that Bucky is too good to be true. He decides that he really isn't in the house of someone who claims to be his 'New Best Friend'. He decides that while he puts on Bucky's extremely large t-shirt, that perhaps this friendship thing isn't for losers like him.

 

But then Bucky says 'race you downstairs!' and Steve changes his previous thoughts. Maybe he deserves this friendship thing.

 

The term 'Friendship' was still new to him and it would take some time getting used to.

 

Bucky turns on the stove and rummages in the pantry for marshmallows. He tosses them on the table, with graham crackers and a box of tea. The cupboard is where Bucky goes next and slaps down two chocolate bars quite erratically on the table.

 

''Let's make some s'mores, shall we?''

 

And while friendship may take some time to get used to, Steve is ready to experience it in a whole new light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suppose he'd not looking for a friend anymore, seeing as he already found one. Still, it's a painfully slow build because I want to focus on the friendship (And a little bit of pining) before I dive straight down to sex.
> 
> But we'll get there.
> 
>  
> 
> Someday.


End file.
